Worth The Risk
by secretfanficlover
Summary: Umbridge has a change of heart after being dragged off into the forest by the centaurs.


**This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

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Word Count: 1574

Title: Worth The Risk

Note: slight canon divergence

Warnings: torture, violence

Beta: Aya

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Golden Snitch

[Name] Crissie

[School] Uagadou

[House] Ogyinae

Care of Magical Creatures: Three-headed dog- write about cowardice

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Hogwarts

Assignment 5: Mythology- Task #2: Write about an evil person/being having a change of heart.

Yearly:

Prompt 975 [Title] Worth the Risk

Word 182 [Word] Wisdom

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Dolores Umbridge wanted to make Hogwarts better, and she had no problems enforcing her rules to do just that. She stopped panic from ensuring during the time when Potter claimed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back. If Fudge said that Potter and Dumbledore were lying, she believed that. Fudge was the Minister, after all, and his words held influence.

Causing a disruption in her class was unacceptable. He was a constant thorn in her side- Harry Potter. She couldn't stand the boy. Harry Potter had weaseled himself into the triwizard tournament the year before, and she wouldn't stand for the blatant lack of respect from him. Harry Potter believed he was better than the rest of the school, when all he was was another lying little boy. He seemed to be such a contradiction, he acted like he was innocent.

She had a beautiful necklace she wore every day, it matched her pink suits perfectly. She would make sure the school was in tip top shape. She made sure she would get rid of everyone she believed was working with Dumbledore. Slowly, one by one, she went through the teachers. She believed that any practical use of magic should be left to the adults. It was a school after all.

"What Fudge doesn't know won't hurt him," she said to herself as she slipped the Verataserum into Cho Chang's teacup before her interview. She slipped the vial into her pocket and let the girl into her pink office covered in pictures of cats. He would be happy if he got results, proof that Dumbledore was conspiring against him this whole time. It was worth the risk.

She got her proof—the list of the members of Dumbledore's Army. When Fudge heard the news, he was horrified to learn that their suspicions had indeed been accurate. When they confronted Dumbledore with the list, aiming to rid herself of the Potter boy, Dumbledore took full responsibility for the list, leaving her with no reason to expel the boy, although she knew she could continue to make his life hell. Once Dumbledore was gone, there was nobody to stand in her way, and as well as being the high inquisitor of the school, she was now headmistress as well. She didn't mind that she didn't have respect from the remaining staff or students, fear was better than respect in her opinion anyway.

She treated the staff like sub-par humans, the same way she felt about all the lowlife creatures in the disgusting forest on the castle grounds. When students left her office sobbing after detention, she would grin and think to herself how she was improving the way things were run around here. Fudge didn't need to know all the details, as long as he got results. It was worth the risk.

"Headmistress, I found one of the students," the caretaker said, she didn't remember his name.

"Bring them in," Umbridge said in her shrill voice. It was the boy—he had broken into her office.

"Who were you contacting? Was is Dumbledore?" She shrieked. "I don't think you children understand the gravity of the situation."

The rest of the students had been caught as well, and once Umbridge raised her hand to cast the Cruciatus Curse, the Muggle-born witch spoke. Umbridge wasn't above breaking the rules to get what she wanted. It was worth the risk. Fudge didn't need to know, it wasn't like he would believe the silly children above her anyway.

"Wait! I'll talk," she cried. It was clear the Granger girl had some smarts, she was ready to give up the headmaster to protect herself and her friends, maybe she wasn't as dumb as Umbridge thought she was. When Granger explained that they were contacting Dumbledore to make sure he knew the weapon was ready, Umbridge's eyes gleamed with delight.

After the confession, she was led into the forest by the children. Fudge would be pleased with her if she found the weapon that the children had created for Dumbledore. Dumbledore had been plotting against them, and he needed to be stopped, no matter what.

It made her skin crawl thinking of all the beasts in the woods. Was it worth the risk? Her wisdom was an asset, she would be fine, she reasoned. They walked into the forest with only her wand for lighting, the darkness seemed to creep up on her. Umbridge hated this place, it was filled with creatures.

When they came across the half breeds, she attacked when they didn't stand down, and they overpowered her easily. When she heard herself pleading with the Potter boy to say she meant them no harm, and he replied: "Sorry, Professor, but I must not tell lies."

The thought that went through her mind was surely she wasn't dangerous, she didn't mean any harm. As she was being dragged kicking and screaming through the woods, something occurred to her, perhaps it wasn't worth the risk… her glittering gold necklace had been lost in the scuffle and it was like a dark cloud had lifted from her mind. It was kicked and damaged under the hooves of the centaurs.

She recognized that those she scorned as creatures were highly intelligent beings that were capable of reasoning. It was then that she realised she had been wrong in abusing her power and once she was free she would set about amending her ways, starting with the students and teachers she hurt. She didn't know how long she was gone for, but her voice had gone hoarse from screaming.

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"Umbridge wants to address the hall today," Dumbledore said and eyes filled with hatred while following the woman in pink as she walked onto the podium to speak. Everyone was silent, watching the woman they hate dare to address them again.

"I, Dolores Umbridge, would like to issue a formal apology to those in the school, teachers and students alike, whom I have hurt during my stay. My motives were pure, but my methods weren't," she spoke. The looks of students and teachers alike turned to surprise as she continued her announcement.

"I hereby resign as inquisitor, and dismiss the inquisitorial squad, I am also reinstating Albus Dumbledore as headmaster of the school…" she continued. Cheers erupted from the students, and they didn't bother to hide their excitement at her leaving. She let out a quiet sigh that went unnoticed by everyone. No, it definitely had not been worth the risk.

Umbridge knew they were no longer listening, and she stepped down without completing her speech, she knew what she had done was wrong, and it was a long, lonely road to atonement. She didn't expect them to forgive her, she made her choices, and no matter how hard she wished, she couldn't remake the past.

After her time at Hogwarts, she decided to make a change. She decided to fight against the bill of half-breed registration, centaurs in particular, were definitely smarter than they had been given credit for. She had an interview with the Daily Prophet, calling Rita Skeeter into her office.

Once Rita's quill was ready, and her beedy eyes were on her, Umbridge started to speak.

"I hereby want it on public record that I'm advocating against the half-breed registration bill. Perhaps many had fear born out of ignorance, for most of them mean us no harm," Umbridge said.

"Pardon me? Aren't you the one who implemented the bill in the first place?" Rita said, her quill working its magic as it flew across the parchment.

"Indeed, but recent events have led me to believe that ignorance or misinformation leads to fear and hatred based on stereotypes," Umbridge added.

"I see," Rita started. "But isn't it true you were viciously attacked in the Forbidden Forest by the very creatures you now seek to defend?"

Umbridge paused before she spoke again, considering how to best get her point across.

"While it is true I was dragged off, they didn't harm me, and I had raised my wand against them, although I had been warned to stand down," she said. She watched the quill pause, scratch something out, then continue to write.

After the interview was complete, she thought about how best to go about expressing her new opinion towards those that are different from her.

**Ministry Officials Mistake **

_By Rita Skeeter_

_During an interview with the undersecretary to the Minster, Dolores Umbridge herself, it has come to our attention that she had a change of heart with regards to the recent bill that was advocated on half-breed registration. _

_When asked about her experiences at Hogwarts, she was evasive and stood by the claim that she had been in the wrong when the beasts attacked her. During her period at Hogwarts, she had let go of many of the teachers, who all got reinstated by Dumbledore after her resignation._

_It also became clear that she was no longer wearing the precious necklace around her neck that she never parted with._

_What did it all mean? Was there some connection between her change of heart and the necklace, or was it merely a coincidence? _

_She claims that ignorance breeds hatred and fear, and mentioned that she was planning to educate the masses by sharing her experiences first hand. When asked if she was planning on writing a book, it wasn't clear. But as soon as it is announced, it will be given to the readers here in the Daily Prophet._


End file.
